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💥 START FOR $59: SSR Certification + FREE Specialist Program + FREE Menopause Coaching Kit! (Ends this week.)
💥 START FOR $59: SSR Certification + FREE Specialist Program + FREE Menopause Kit!
Carbohydrates are made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen molecules. Sugars, starches, and fibers are all considered carbohydrates. Our digestive system breaks down carbohydrates and eventually releases them into the bloodstream in the form of glucose. Glucose is essential to life: it provides fuel for the brain and central nervous system. Carbohydrates are commonly found in vegetables, fruits, grains, and legumes.
Carbohydrates are made up of a collection of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen molecules. Sugars, starches, and fibers are all considered carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are typically classified by their general chemical structure and divided into three general groups of saccharides (from the Latin saccharum, or sugar) based on their level of complexity: monosaccharides, oligosaccharides, and polysaccharides.
Monosaccharides are the simplest form of carbohydrates since they contain only one sugar group. Oligosaccharides are short chains of monosaccharide units linked together in the form of disaccharides, trisaccharides, etc. The most common oligosaccharides are the disaccharides including maltose, sucrose, and lactose:
Maltose = glucose + glucose
Sucrose = glucose + fructose
Lactose = glucose + galactose
Polysaccharides are long, complex chains of linked monosaccharide units, which can be either straight or branched. Typically, when we refer to starches, glycogen, or fiber, we’re referring to polysaccharides.
Carbohydrate digestion breaks down more complex forms of carbohydrates (oligo- and polysaccharides) into the monosaccharides glucose, fructose, and galactose, for eventual release into the bloodstream in the form of glucose.
Glucose is essential to life. The brain and central nervous system prefer glucose for fuel and benefit from a continuously available supply.
Carbohydrate dominant foods include:
Since carbohydrates provide the body with energy, a deficiency can make you feel tired and sluggish.
Other symptoms may include:
However, your individual response could be different. If you suspect a health problem or deficiency in certain nutrients, please see your primary health care provider (doctor, naturopath, etc). They can help unravel the complexity of your physiology.
Eating a surplus of carbohydrates can make you feel tired and sluggish, ‘foggy’ and unfocused, and/or even depressed.
Repeatedly eating too many carb-dense foods can put your body at risk of hypoglycemia, insulin resistance, and Type 2 Diabetes. In addition, you may experience weight gain, difficulty losing weight, or even obesity.
However, your individual response could be different. If you suspect a health problem or an excess of certain nutrients, please see your primary health care provider (doctor, naturopath, etc). They can help unravel the complexity of your physiology.
For recipes rich in carbohydrates, check out any of the Encyclopedia of Food entries that fall into the above-listed food categories.
Precision Nutrition’s Encyclopedia of Food expands every single month as we highlight new foods and showcase beautiful food photography. If you’d like to stay up to date, simply click this link. From there, we’ll send you a FREE copy of our recipe book. We’ll also let you know when new and delicious foods are added to the site.
Carbohydrates are made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen molecules. Sugars, starches, and fibers are all considered carbohydrates. Our digestive system breaks down carbohydrates and eventually releases them into the bloodstream in the form of glucose. Glucose is essential to life: it provides fuel for the brain and central nervous system. Carbohydrates are commonly found in vegetables, fruits, grains, and legumes.
